WEEK 26 REVIEW: Round-up of all the Corinthian League action from the weekend

SENIOR DIVISION

The weekend’s surviving Senior Division action saw second face third with the first meeting of Manford Way and Baiteze Squad, the teams facing each other in Chigwell. And it was Manford who will have come away the happier of the sides, producing a terrific 9-2 win to keep themselves second in the standings, despite a Shomari Barnwell brace.

Over in Leyton, it was hosts East Way Athletic who will have came away from their fixture with London All Stars as the happier of the sides, romping to a 4-1 home success to move to within a point of their opponents in the table. Cameron McKenzie, Mitchell Victorin, Tolu Babalola and Didi Ndombe were the scorers for Athletic, completing a fourth league success.

DIVISION ONE CUP

In the Division One Cup, it was semi-final day for two of our clubs with Oceana and Gants Hill both in action, starting the day ninety minutes away from a cup final appearance. And it will be Hill who make that walk out of the tunnel at the final as they scored the game’s only goal in a 1-0 win to set up a final against either Critics or Barking Riverside.

DIVISION ONE

There was a glut of goals in the two league fixtures from the division where Benchviews followed up their exploits of the previous weekend to add another win to their record, moving up into eighth in the standings following a 5-0 win against St Augustines. Zach Aliane was in great form with a hat-trick, Amazigh Laoudi scoring twice also to complete victory.

Over in Dagenham, promotion chasing Roose were able to avenge a recent defeat to opponents, FC Galaxy, reversing their fortunes from the first league fixture between the two sides to win the second in a 4-0 away victory. That result was enough for Roose to move back to within three points of the league leaders with four games to go.

DIVISION TWO

The big game in Division Two saw first meet second with AC Milano the visitors to Robert Clack to face the leaders, Barking & Dagenham Wanderers. Wanderers started the day holding a five point lead over their opponents but that was slashed to just two following a 2-1 win for Milano for whom Jorge Sambu and Mohamed Kidia struck with vital goals.

Newbury Forest had a good morning’s workout, moving level with fourth place with just goal difference keeping them below, coming away 7-1 winners against cup semi-finalists Leytonstone Athletic. Pat Ambrose score the visitors’ goal but that proved in vain in the end as Forest struck back with seven of their own to confirm win number eight this term.

There were plenty of goals at Chigwell Lane where Debden Sports Reserves were in home action with the visit of Barking, the latter needing vital points to avoid the drop. But it was Debden’s day once again as they confirmed a 7-1 success on the back of braces from Billy Barr and Will Osmond, along with goals from Callum Thomas, George Bird and Harry Maslin. Josh Jackson scored the Barking goal in reply.

DIVISION THREE

Just three points now separate the top five sides in Division Three where Singh Sabha Barking moved top of the table heading into the last few games of the season, picking up a massively important 2-0 win against rivals United Amateurs. Matthew Stedman and Kamerdip Khroad struck with the goals for Barking to move them top, though sides around do have games in hand.

Valence United’s second half of the season rise has seen them climb into third place in the table, buoyed on by their upcoming county semi-final, their latest opponents being a struggling Alpha side. Two goals from Rowan Newland set them on the way with Jordan Cook, Michael O’Brien, Charlie Surridge and Tommy Abrams netting the others in a 6-1 scoreline.

Two of the other sides still involved in that tight race at the top are fourth placed Upshire Forest and sixth placed Ainslie who met on Sunday in Waltham Abbey, the sides battling their way to an eventual 2-2 draw to share the spoils. Tony Bosher and Aeli Agha both struck for Upshire ahead of their county semi-final appearance, Ainslie scoring twice themselves to take a point.

DIVISION FOUR

It was second versus third in the big game of the day in Division Four as Warren Senior travelled across to Hylands Park to take on a Byron Red Star side in good form. Scott McGlynn scored two for Warren and Jamie Marsh once but those efforts weren’t quite enough in the end as two Byron goals from Oluwagbeminuyi Adeaga plus strikes from David Goff and Liam Pickett made it 4-3 to their side.

Brymans Park’s race to avoid the drop took a massive boost on Sunday as they secured a vital three points against an Eastern Avenue side who started the day fourteen points ahead of Park. But a Shane Taylor hat-trick started the job for the hosts, Tyler Smith netting the other off the bench to earn Brymans a 4-2 home win with four games to go.

There was double header delight for City Site who took home six points from Hainault after two hard fought battles with Prospect Protégé. They were 4-3 winners in the first game with Donatas Briedas, Harry Watkins, Frederick Mattock and Robert Garvan all netting, Loui Grech and Emmanuel Alo responding. And in game two, a goal apiece from Robert Garvan and Ellis Tucker gave City a 2-0 win.

High scoring games were a feature in Division Four on Sunday and that continued into the final game from Debden where Horse & Well and Ace Athletics had to settle for a share of the points having combined for a 3-3 draw. Joe Powell’s brace and a James Marsh goal accounted for the Well efforts with Lee Huckle, Paul Bergamini and Jack McAllister efforts levelling it up.

DIVISION FIVE CUP

It was semi-final day in the Division Five Cup for two of our sides with the Reserves of Colebrook Royals and Manford Way meeting at Grange Farm for a place in the final. A predictably close game saw just one goal separate the sides and that was scored by Royals’ Archie Shipp, coming off the bench to net the winner in a 1-0 success, sending his side through to the final.

DIVISION FIVE

The dress rehearsal for next weekend’s cup semi-final saw Lonsdale in league action against Ultimate Vision Reserves on Sunday with both sides feeling each other our ahead of the big game. Kalium Fletcher warmed up for that game with another goal, though his effort for Lonsdale was cancelled out by three goals from Vision, the visitors therefore taking the points in a 3-1 win.

Just down the road at Old Dagenham Park, it was eighth versus ninth with Titans United taking on Debden Sports A, Sports beginning the day three points adrift of their opponents in the table. But by full-time they had moved above Titans on goal difference, winning 3-1 through a couple of goals from Shane Mitchelle and an Aman Gill effort.

DIVISION SIX CUP

The remaining semi-finalist was confirmed in the Division Six Cup on Sunday as Ping City Phoenixes pulled off their biggest win of the season to defeat fifth placed Havering Palace, edging the quarter-final 2-1 to take their place in the semi-final despite a five place deficit in the league. They now head on to face Epping Royals next weekend, ninety minutes away from the final.

DIVISION SIX

In the league, leaders Epping Royals have moved into a five point at the top of the table with three games to go, taking a hard-fought win at Stonards Hill against Zone 4 Athletic. Royals were 2-1 winners as goals from Joseph Bothwell and Louie Brownlie took them over the line to win number thirteen.

Over in Dagenham, Valence United Reserves bounced back well from their reverse the previous weekend to take all three points against London Legacy in a 6-2 scoreline. Jamie Allen scored a hat-trick, Billy Biggs was on target with two and Enzo Victoriano’s effort completed the scoring, cancelling out Legacy goals from Mohamed Noor and Franklyn Akinpelu.

COUNTY CUP

It was semi-finals day in the Essex Sunday Premier Cup, Corinthian sides comprising all four semi-final places for the first time in competition history. Over in Newbury Park, Division One’s Barking Riverside took an early lead from a set piece but Flyhouse Athletic were able to level before the break and net a winner in the last quarter of the game to win 2-1, taking their place in the final.

A similarly close game at Hackney Marshes saw two Senior Division outfits, Brook Athletic and Hatch Lane, share three goals in their tightly contested clash. Brook missed the chance to lead just before the break, missing a penalty before Hatch got themselves into a second half 1-0 lead. But Brook levelled up the scores just on the hour though moments late, Hatch netted a winner to end it 2-1.

The final of the Essex Sunday Premier Cup will take place on Sunday 16^th April, 2.30pm kick-off at Bowers & Pitsea FC.